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Author: Stephen Weller
723 words, 4 minutes read time

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Scripture: Luke 13:6-9

In our previous lesson, Jesus was asked about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices. Did their death mean their sin was worse that other Galileans? Jesus said that it was not but stressed the importance of one repenting of their sin or they would perish. In this lesson we will look at the parable of the barren fig tree.

^{Lk 13:6} “And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’”’

This parable was a warning to the nation of Israel and symbolizes their last opportunity to repent before experiencing God’s judgment. Isaiah speaks of this failure on the part of Israel to produce fruit in Isaiah 5:2 ESV: “He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.” God planted choice vines, wholly of pure seed, but they turned degenerate and became a wild vine to produce wild grapes (Jeremiah 2:21).

In this parable the vine is replaced with a fig tree which produces no fruit and has not done so in three years. The three years does not necessarily refer to the time in which Jesus has been preaching the gospel, but to a time period of sufficient length to allow Israel to repent and bear fruit and since she has not born any fruit, she should expect severe judgment.

The vine dresser is the man whose duty it was to prune the fig tree and care for the vineyard. He has done so for three years without seeing any fruit, and so the owner instructs the vinedresser to cut the tree down since it is taking up space and taking nourishment from the soil and providing no benefit in return.

^{Lk 13:8} “And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. ⁹ Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

The vinedresser request one additional year of grace for the fig tree. He will care for it to see if it will respond and produce fruit and if it doesn’t then he will cut it down. Israel fails to respond and in Luke 13:34 – 35 ESV, Jesus laments over Jerusalem: ^{Lk 13:34} “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! ³⁵ Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” That will not happen until late in the book of Revelation.

Considering Romans 3:10 – 11, should it not be expected that the Jews would reject God? As it is written in Romans: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” How fitting a description this is of Israel. They were not righteous but evil; they may have understood but refused to obey; they were not seeking God because God stood before them in the person of Jesus and they killed him.

Conclusion

Jesus said in John 15:5 – 6 ESV: ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” Evidence that we abide in Jesus is validated by our fruit. How is your branch doing?